A BMW dealership in Brampton, Ont., has created a premium lounge and membership experience that is generating loyalty and referral business from a subset of high-income customers, say brand executives.
While all BMW dealerships are required to create a lounge-style space for their premium customers, Policaro BMW, about 50 kilometres west of downtown Toronto, exceeded those requirements with its Bavaria Lounge, said Kevin Marcotte, national manager of i, M and special vehicles for BMW Canada.
“Their Bavaria Lounge ... was part of their vision when they began planning Policaro BMW,” Marcotte said. “It is a space where high-luxury customers can enjoy the ultimate premium ownership experience.”
The lounge, which was integrated into the second floor of Policaro BMW when it was built in 2016, features granite countertops, contemporary furnishings, a bar, a golf simulator and connected flat-screen TVs. The space was designed by Oakville, Ont.-based architectural designer Ferris Rafauli, who designed the Sher Club — the exclusive, members-only space in Toronto’s Air Canada Centre that was opened by Toronto rapper Drake.
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That star-power connection drew customers to the dealership as soon as it opened, said Dealer Principal Francesco Policaro.
“With [Ferris’s] name behind it, being a new store, we got a lot of premium customers calling in requiring vehicles, directly from Ferris’s clientele,” Policaro told Automotive News Canada.
“To have a high-end designer behind it [provided] business-to-business marketing.”
Lounge access at all BMW locations is restricted to customers purchasing the brand’s most high-end products: the 6-, 7and 8-series cars; M performance vehicles; X6 and X7 crossovers; and the i8 plug-in hybrid coupe. The lounge reflects expectations of people shopping in these premium segments, Policaro said.
“Prior to opening the dealership, I did a lot of research in regards to BMW clientele because this was our [group’s] first BMW dealership. One of the things I learned was that it’s almost like there’s two different classes of customers. A 3-series customer is very different than a 7-series customer.
“The idea was to provide more of a premium service to these elite customers.”
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